Good Character
by EmmyWemmyDee
Summary: Sarah isn't fifteen anymore. Her dreams have changed, Jareth has his own problems- but the Goblin King has some REAL trouble on his hands now, and the Labyrinth needs all the help it can get. HOGGLE/SARAH,Jareth/OC,Jareth/Sarah,Solo,UST,H/C,WIP.
1. Chapter 1

"Einstein!" Sarah called, giggling, small hands swinging out as she grasped the air in front of her and made a fist around the shrinking form that ran too far ahead to reach. The trees were thick, branches she didn't feel but distantly knew were slapping at her clothes and hair without catching. "Einstein, wait! Sit! Ein-STEIN!"

The dog never stopped running and running, and she chased and chased him through the woods tirelessly, until finally he wasn't that same flashing speck of white in the distance. The dark trees and bushes closed in on the bounding animal's form and he was gone, but Sarah was still running after him all the same and calling his name. Einstein wouldn't leave her- he was always there. Always! Since she was a baby, he was always-

Suddenly she knew, without any trace of doubt, that Einstein was back at home. This knowing brought a sharp chill, a fear she felt much more clearly than the scratches she was just now noticing on her bare arms and legs. No longer small, her favorite dress from first grade gone, she stood nude and shivering in the dark and slowly backed away from the narrow path in the trees she had been following. Whatever she had been chasing, she didn't want to find it now. Maybe if she backed away, made no noise, it would keep going the way it had and leave her alone.

Something landed behind her with a too-loud thump and crunch of leaves. Sarah turned slowly, wrapping her arms around her chest... but it was only a firey. Even so, goosebumps rose on her skin. The ominous threat of the trees only worsened as she heard the chatterings of more fireys overhead. This one's beak was too sharp, fur spiked like a wolf set to attack.

"H-Hoggle..." Sarah whispered. If she spoke too loud the others might hear and come down on her. She was too far away from the house for anyone to hear her anyway. "Hoggle, Daddy, help... Help, I need you..."

"And what." Soft gloved fingers curled over her shoulders, slow and languid as snakes."_What_do you expect Hogwash to do?"

The fieries were gone. The dark was gone too, but the trees and brush had only retreated to form a gentle circle of grass so the sun could fall through again. Sarah shivered with something more than the chill as she was tugged back against a firm, warm body behind her. "Jareth."

"Me." One of the gloves lifted from her shoulder, running a finger up her chin to hook a loose strand of hair and brush it back. The light caress of his finger over the shell of her ear was electrifying. The following touch of his breath was worse. "Oh Sarah... Were it still in my power, it would _always _be me."

"No."

"Yes."

Sarah swallowed, remembering her nudity as she squeezed her arms around herself once more. The nightmare had taken an uncomfortable turn, no matter how good it felt in one way or another. "... Give me the child."

"Must our game always come back to this? I'm growing weary of the role."

"No." Smiling as he released her, Sarah turned. "But this is _my _dream, Goblin King. You have no power over me."

"Ah. Getting clever now? You must be close to waking up." He was so beautiful. More so than she remembered him being, but this was both a dream and through a woman's eyes rather than a girl's. He tsked at her now, touching a curled finger under her chin. "Such a waste. I'll arrive earlier next time and see if you're more _creative _with your time then."

Sarah's eyes narrowed, jaw setting. "I doubt it."

"I don't. Your choice of attire this evening is... _inspired_."

* * *

><p>"OOH-!" Sarah jerked upright in bed, arm extended, and heard a yelp as something fell off onto the floor. Familiar, accusing curses followed and she knew that 'something' was Hoggle long before he levered his small, awkward body back up again.<p>

"What was that for!" He demanded, chest puffed with offense as he swiped down his shirt with work-grubby fingers. For all the good it did- his clothes were all but one big wrinkle anyways. "See if I come again, gettin' beat on when YOU'RE the one who called me!"

"Shh, shhh, shhh..." Sarah pushed down her grin, opening her arms to him until he grudgingly scooched over to settle against her. She didn't bother noting that his cheek rested on her chest, figuring the lack of bulk there made it about as alright as doing the same to a guy's. Jogging be damned- she never should have let Karen choose their daily 'bonding experience'. "You'll wake up the whole house, shhhhh! I'm sorry."

"_You _were yellin' first." Hoggle grumbled, at a reasonable volume. "Right before ya popped me in the _nose_."

"I know, I'm sorry. It was an accident, Hoggy."

"HOGGLE!"

"SHH!" Sarah laughed, squeezing him until he relented back into disgruntled mumbles and a darkly embarrassed flush. Ignoring his discomfort, because really he needed to just get used to affection by now, she curled around his little body and snuggled into him like he was a big stuffed animal, setting her nose in his hair.

She loved his smell. He was dirty, in the way of smelling like he'd been rolling around in fresh turned soil and magic dust and grass... It was such a _Labyrinth _smell, she could almost believe she was there again if she closed her eyes. He'd probably been gardening all day, or night, or however it worked there since she'd never quite worked it out or really thought about it much. "Mmm."

Red as a beet, Hoggle squirmed and pushed in token resistance until she made it clear she would only hug him tighter every time. He finally slumped, nose squished into her sternum where cleavage ought to be, and just tried not to breathe or let his heart beat so quickly that she'd notice. "You- you're too _old_for this."

"Mmmhm." She murmurred, eyes already drooping again as she smiled. "You're not the boss of me."

"No." He said, sniffing in half-serious disdain. "I'm Boss of the _Bog_, thanks to you."

Her laugh turned into a long yawn. "You're my charming prince, so _shhhh_. Let me sleep, Jerk."

"You don't need _me_for that." He told her, voice lowered more still, but she didn't answer this time and he went breathlessly still as her breathing slowed. Careful not to disturb her he leant his head back so he could look up at her slack face.

She was beautiful. More so than he could recall her being. Years passed between her calls from his side of the mirror, but only five had gone by from hers since they met. Every night she called, and every night was just as nerve wracking as the first as he forgot her face and found himself drawn back to it again anew. She didn't know how different the flow of time was, and he didn't tell her- just thanked all that was that goblins lived such a very long _long_time.

Slowly, hesitating when she sighed against his hair, he slid his arm beneath hers to lay a hand on her waist. His thickly callused thumb rasped against the tiny sliver of skin between the matching moon and stars tank top and shorts she'd worn to bed. He set his cheek back down against her chest and breathed deep.

She smelled beautiful too. Exotic, with her pretty shampoos and soaps and perfume- things goblins didn't have and probably wouldn't bother using if they did. Standing near her was enough, but laying here was overwhelming. She wasn't the pretty young girl who'd softened his heart with her determination and stubborn offer of friendship so long ago. These days she was a funny, loving, matured young _woman_ who didn't quite grasp that he wasn't just her little dwarf friend.

He was a man, and completely smitten by her.

* * *

><p>Hoggle was gone come morning, just as he always was, and Sarah spared a huff at the small dusty dent in her sheets he'd left. Rubbing her sleep rimmed eyes and avoiding looking at the old photo of Einstein on her dresser, she found her bleary way out of bed and down the hallway to the bathroom she shared with Toby, locking the door so she could shower without him wandering in to pee without knocking. He was six now, he could hold it a little.<p>

She wrinkled her nose as she tossed her pajamas on the floor, unwilling to note that her shorts were particularly fragrant and crunty this morning after another a full night of Jareth invading her dreams. It was an uncomfortable dillema she hated to think too hard on; that she was either a pervert herself, dreaming over and over again about a decidedly unkind man she'd met once- or Jareth was a persistant creep who couldn't keep his thoughts to himself when she was trying to sleep. Either way, she just hoped her dreams didn't come across to poor Hoggle while he was sharing the bed with her.

He would be so embarrassed.

Red at the idea that she might have moaned or moved in some inappropriate way in front of her friend, Sarah winced away those thoughts and ducked her head under the shower spray, scrubbing shampoo from her hair with furious fingertips. All that aside, at least the nightmares ended before they really started these days.

"Sarah! I hope you're up- I'm putting on my shoes!"

The ones that came at night, at least. Sarah made an effort to smooth her forehead of the crease Karen's voice put there. Five years had formed a truce between them, and they were both stubbornly fighting to keep the peace, but Karen's idea of building comradary involved spending all too much time together while Sarah's... didn't. Especially considering the tredmill kick Karen had been on for the past two years.

Still. Knowing Karen would be waiting with tapping toe, Sarah hurried through the rest of her shower and dashed back to her room in a towel to get dressed. The woman was _trying_, she couldn't fault that. "Coming!"

"I'm halfway out the door, Sarah!" Sarah could hear the clean squeak of brand new sneakers on the polished wood downstairs.

"I'm coming!" Unlike her stepmother, who wore different workout outfits every day, Sarah had the same ratty old t-shirt, shorts, and sneakers set aside to pull on each morning so she wouldn't have to get up early with decisions to make. The point of wearing the good stuff just to get it all sweaty and stinky was lost on Sarah- she could just toss this junk in with Toby's underwear when they got back. "Hold on..."

She was shrugging into her windbreaker when Karen made good on her warnings. Hearing the front door open and close, Sarah stomped her heels into her sneakers, snagged a hair tie from the bunch around her doorknob, and took the stairs four at a time. "I said I'M COMING! _Damnit_."

* * *

><p>After the gym it was time for a second, hastier, shower and change before the start of classes. Sarah squeezed into a tight grey tanktop that accentuated her slim waist rather than her flat chest, pulled on some baggy black sweats, and took a few minutes to fuss over putting hair back up or letting it down. Down was the victor this time, her scalp still stinging from the tight ponytail she'd worn earlier. Her hair was getting too long and heavy for it these days.<p>

"Ka- _Mom_, are you going out?" Sarah was still finger combing as she trotted down the stairs. Her socked feet almost slipped on the last step, legs numb and wobbly from her tredmill and elliptical hopping. "Before Dad gets home, I mean? I wanted to take the car today."

"Oh, I don't know." Karen was in the kitchen, chopping away at an iceburg lettuce that Sarah hoped was just going to be the makings of her stepmother's lunch instead of the whole family's dinner later. Toby could whine his way into something more substantial, but Sarah would just have to pick up some takeout and make apologies for herself and Dad.

"Well," Sarah sat down on the bottom step, making a face as she put back on her sneakers. She could already feel their sweaty dampness seeping into her fresh socks, "I kind of need to know _now_. I have to_ leave_?"

Karen sighed, knife clacking as she set it down on the counter. "I wish you wouldn't use that tone with me, Sarah. I don't exist just to give you a hard time, whatever you may think."

Sarah had to reign in her groan. They were not getting into that old argument again, not right now and not over her _tone of voice_. Sarah was too old for this shit. "Yea- _yes_. I know. I just- I'm just in a hurry, Karen. Am I taking the car or the bus?"

Karen sighed again, and her own put-upon tone didn't lessen all that much either. "I don't know. I was thinking of going to the store..."

* * *

><p>Sarah wanted nothing better than to sink into the hottest bubble bath known to mankind when she got home that night. From foot to shoulder she ached from either being on her feet or bent over a desk all day. That last trudge home from the bus stop had been her breaking point, legs wobbling like rubberbands as she mounted the porch stairs and slipped in the front door as silent and ginger as she could manage with feet that felt like mortar bricks.<p>

"Sarah! Is that you? I have your plate ready... Were you in the mood for ranch or italian?"

Shit. Sarah kept the groan inward, made to slump back against the door by the force of her exasperation- she completely forgot to grab something edible to stash away and bring home during her work break. Maybe, if she could lure Karen away from the kitchen and use the phone real quick-

"Your father called to let us know he'd be late, so don't worry about holding back. I know how you like to eat, Honey."

No, Karen did not know how Sarah liked to eat. _Karen _couldn't comprehend how _anyone _liked to eat if it involved copious amounts of meat. Sprinkle a little tuna on top and she was happy as a clam. It wasn't that Sarah hated salads or vegetables or cucumber zucchini whatevers, but couldn't they just be, you know, _on the side_?

Sarah covered her face, took a big deep breath, and dragged herself upright. Stuffing her hands in her jacket pockets she slumped into the kitchen. "Ranch, Mom. Ranch sounds... good. What did you make?"

"A nice antipasto!" Karen was all smiles, table set and ready and tidy except for the lettuce-shrewn corner that Toby typically resided in. He'd obviously come and gone already. "Toby already ate, so help yourself... I think he picked most of the meats out, unfortunately. I hope you don't mind too much."

Ugh. Sarah was going to strangle him. "No problem." Right after she drowned this salad in cheese and dressing.

"Hoggle...?" Sarah whispered that night, because Toby had thrown a fit over his bedtime and was likely still awake and sulking down the hall. She lay with her head on Hoggle's chest this time, fiddling absently with the growing strings of beads and trinkets she had been adding to over the years that now looped around his neck and waist. She had one that stretched from his shoulder to belt rolled between her fingers now.

He grunted back at her, arms flat at his sides as if touching her with any part of his hands would encourage her behavior. The old grump.

Sarah grinned and bumped his chin with the top of her head. "Do goblins eat salad?"

"That's a _dumb_ question."

She gave his arm a smack this time. "Who cares? Just answer it."

"Who's tellin' you anything? Hittin' at me and all that," Hoggle grouched and tried to shove her off, starting a brief but furious tussle that ended in Sarah giggling too loud for the time of night and her arms locked around his waist so she could keep her spot. "Quit!"

"Hush- you'll get me in trouble!" Sarah shushed like he started it, cheeks pink from the minor exertion of fending off an ornery little dwarf's flailing limbs. When he'd settled back down enough to just glare at her she slid her arms free so she could fold them on him and look down at his face. "So?"

"So _what_?" He tossed back.

"Salad?" She prompted with raised brows and a mock serious line made of her lips. Her hair was tousled, a little frizzed from too much brushing after her shower, and she looked pretty with it falling in her face like that.

"_Damnit_- I'll eat whatever. I don't care, quit botherin' me."

* * *

><p><em>He met her like he met any other girl- through an unwanted baby. And like most, she was confused, frightened, and regretful of the situation she found herself in when she realized that baby was gone. Her little brother, barely six months old, had been unfairly left in her care while their mother was gone.<em>

_For three days. Without any word to why._

_Three days of a screaming baby who repeatedly refused and spat up the formula she tried to feed him; three days of the endless wailing, the diaper changing; and three days of the neighbors' mounting anger toward a baby's deafening discontent. Missing school and worrying about her mother. Milo, sweetfaced and sweet tempered Milo, was a frantic mess when he found her sitting in front of the crib clutching the Book she had been reading in an attempt to calm herself just as much as her brother, an assortment of other failed fairytales scattered around her feet._

_Some girls called him intentionally, motivated in the heat of the moment by the Book's compulsion. Others, like Milo, simply made the mistake of reading the right words out loud at the right moment- with just the right amount of emotion. The Book always knew when the moment was right and Jareth had seen it all. Greedy girls, ugly girls, stupid girls, plain girls, pretty girls, spoiled girls, needy and abused girls... whatever their situation, he hardly bothered to take it in anymore. He was there to collect his newest goblin subject._

_He offered her the same lies, the same unlikely chance to retrieve her lost brother, and, when she finally accepted that the Labyrinth was impossible, he came to her again and offered her himself. The only difference being, he found he wanted** this girl** for enough shallow reasons to mean it. _

* * *

><p>When Hoggle climbed back through Sarah's mirror, the Labyrinth was in bloom like it hadn't been in centuries. The paved stones were freshly swept, perfectly aligned squares and rectangles instead of the jumbled mess he knew, and the leaves of the walls were thick leaved and lined with large white roses. A decidedly misleading sparkle of warm, seductive welcome was in the air, and he was immediately certain it wasn't intended for <em>him<em>. Even before hearing the voices.

He backed back into the groove he'd stepped out from, now just a small opening through the wall, and crouched to peer suspiciously after Jareth's voice.

Rather than the Goblin King, Hoggle saw a girl in what looked to be a painful sprawl on the ground. An unsurprising sight to stumble onto during a Labyrinth challenge, and Hoggle didn't question that there was no apparent reason for her to be so roughed up in a corner by herself. For all he knew, something had tossed her in the air and this was just her landing spot. She sat covered in grime, rub rashes, and thankfully shallow burns from what he recognized as a riddle gone wrong. Not the clever sort, this one. Maybe a little cute, if you were the sort to like round faces, rounder eyes, and a fat upper lip.

"Let me rule you, Milo." Jareth's voice again, and now the Goblin King paced back within view, crouching before the rumpled and frightened girl to gently press her hair back from her forehead. He whispered in her ear, pressing his lips to her temple with a fervor Hoggle didn't often see in these performances. The King's acting skills had improved. "Fear me, _love me_, do as I say... and I will be your slave. You can have _everything_ you want."

"Even my brother?" She searched Jareth's eyes and he smiled down at her now, knowing she was in his thrall. The words to reverse his power weren't coming. Stupid girl didn't remember the end of the Book at all, if she had ever finished it in the first place.

"Everything... Except what's mine." Jareth crooned to her, all but petting her. Her short, wild gold curls, her flushed cheeks. His thumb slid over the plump surface of her upper lip, and still she only continued to stare up into his eyes. Her own had gone glassy, uncomprehending and dreamy as he rolled her will up tight in his magic. It didn't matter what he said now. He could have offered her an oubliette and she would have gladly climbed in if he was the one who brought her there. "Forget him."

Hoggle felt a chill go down his spine, hairs standing up on his arms as he came to the unexpected conclusion that he was witnessing an _intimate_ scene here. The King was making no attempts to conceal his intentions, if the surroundings were any indication, and if Hoggle stayed a moment longer he was probably going to see Jareth kiss that girl- _or worse_. Propelled backward in disgust, Hoggle squeezed his eyes shut and dragged himself out the other side of the wall with as much haste as he could manage without rustling the leaves.

He shuddered away a pink scatter of sparkling dust, patting the rest off his vest and knees as he got himself straightened out, and the wall received a disgusted up and down look for setting him up to be privy to such a thing.

He hitched up his trousers and tucked his hands in the pockets with a final "Ugh!" before heading back on home to the Bog.


	2. Chapter 2

_ Jareth kissed her hard, hard enough to bruise that luscious lip of hers, and filled his hands with the full cheeks of her behind. He pulled her in with this grip, letting his fingertips sink into the soft flesh, and set up a slow, rhythmic grind between her thighs, and they rocked this way, unrushed, until she moaned with every drag of his cock over her slit. _

_He brought her to the brink, kissing away down her jaw and over to worry the sensitive place between ear and neck until she whined and jerked against him, then drew back._

_"Jareth," She sighed, breast shivering with a hard-to-catch breath. She stayed where he left her, arms curled to keep her hands out of the way should he wish to play with her chest, plump legs splayed where he had pressed them aside, and Jareth felt a strange, pleasant swell in his chest as he looked down on her. His pretty pet, pampered and primed to his own liking... Some men would have found her simple, too easy, but she was just everything he could have asked for and more. Leave the wild ones to the fae and let him have this one to himself._

_Sitting back on his heels between her legs, he let her watch as he bit the tip of each finger of his gloves and peeled them off with his teeth. His first hand went to her mound, trailing his fingers through her slick labia until the met the moist head of her clit. He rubbed, rolling the small nub between index and thumb until she gasped with a pleasure bordering on pain, back bowing and hips alternately jerking into and away from his touch in frantic spasms._

_Had he wanted, he could have brought her to peak this way, gave her an orgasm that burnt white hot between her legs and taken her then and there to follow it with something gentler. He did so enjoy feeling her throb around him._

_But not this time._

_"Beautiful girl," he crooned to her, releasing her clit and turning his hand to palm her mound. He slid his middle digit inside, letting it curl into a soft, spongy place that made Milo hiss. "Precious girl, I won't be gentle today."_

_"Ohh," She whimpered, and it seemed a very agreeable sound to his ears._

* * *

><p>Two nights passed Aboveground without a call to Hoggle.<p>

The first night, Sarah fell asleep in the shower. She was brought to bed when Toby, upset and full-bladdered, had Karen jiggle the lock open and retrieve her. Sarah was back out before she hit the sheets.

The second night, she came down with what thankfully turned out to be a hit-and-run cold. Not wanting to subject Hoggle to whining and snot, she intentionally left off calling him this time. By morning she was sniffly but more or less cured; a fact she kept secret from Karen to avoid the gym.

Just two harmless nights and, unknown to her, thirteen _years_in the Underground. Thirteen years of changing seasons, changing memories, the Labyrinth growing, and the King falling in love with his precious pet human. Just enough time for a small incident to happen and all hell to break loose.

* * *

><p><em>While Milo slept, Jareth cleansed. He cared for the girl, but even she didn't get to see him in his most vulnerable daily ritual. He could be as filthy as he pleased in life, but each night required this purification of the body. Once, he would have gone as far as to lock the door to the bath as well as the bedroom. Now, he at least trusted his Milo to respect his wish for privacy and simply locked them both in his chambers at this time, closing this door on her when he bathed.<em>

_He didn't need to undress, clothing already scattered about his bedroom from earlier activities, but it was the Pendant he removed before stepping into the steaming, spicy waters of his bath. He placed the seemingly innocent piece of jewelry on the stones that rounded the lip of his pool, well in reach should he need it, and something dimmed from his fingertips as they left it's polished surface._

_Some unexplainable luster left his hair, strands losing their volume to hang loose over his face and shoulders, as if a static charge had come then gone. His skin lost a certain etheral glow, his aura fading until the subtle crackle of power left the surrounding air._

_For this brief moment in the night, the Labyrinth went on unchecked, all but his most sensitive subjects oblivious to their temporary freedom._

_Milo knew no better when she roused from her doze to a shy tapping on the bedroom door. Drowsy and with legs that felt like overused rubberbands, she drew the sheet around herself and went to pull back the lock._

_She only cracked the door open enough to peek out. "Yes...?"_

* * *

><p>Sarah had her apologies ready when she called Hoggle this time. They were on the tip of her tongue, her mouth already open when he appeared, but the words never came. Instead, she shrieked and flinched back as a swarm of what her brain instantly translated as wasps darted out with him. She ducked, arms over her head, and dove over to the other side of her bed as Hoggle landed with a curse and a loud thump on the wood part of the floor under her vanity.<p>

"Godfrackin' FAIRIES!" He roared, and the air of her room was suddenly filled with a cloud of his fairy spray as he rose again with bottle in hand.

"Ohguh-auhhh-Hoggle NO!" Sarah gagged. She covered her nose against the awful stink of weed, incense, and potpourri that filled the closed space, fairies falling with angry little cries all around her. Lurching upright in search of air, she wrenched open her window and gasped until the nausea passed.

God help her, she didn't remember that stuff being so lethal. Her head was spinning, and she set it on the windowsill. She had, of course, only witnessed those tiny, individual spritzes at the beginning of her labyrinth challenge though. Not quite the memorable experience _this_was.

"Bad timing?" She coughed, and even Hoggle's eyes looked watery when she finally turned to see him blinking in the middle of her room. It was about then that she really noticed what rough shape he was in. He was absolutely covered in fairy bites, and the nice little shirt she had given him months ago that he had gotten so flustered over was ripped at the shoulder.

"No! _Good_timing." Hoggle took a handkerchief from his pocket, blowing his nose loudly. He didn't look too ready to continue yet, winded as he was, so she let him collect himself a bit more before pressing.

"... Getting a little fiesty, are they?"

"Tryin' to kill me is what!" He corrected, tone clipped and nasty. "Right out draggin' me to their queen or somethin'! Damn lost their tiny minds! That's what it is!"

"Shh, Hoggle, not so loud." Sarah circled her bed so she could sit on the side facing him. "I'm watching Toby tonight and it's still early."

"Well sor-ry for interruptin' your quiet night!" Hoggle snarled.

"_Hoggle_." Sarah's brows pinched. "Stop it, you know that's not what I meant. Are you ok?"

"No. No, I aint, not that _you_ care."

* * *

><p><em>The right wing of the castle was a smoldering hole. Smoke, rubble, and a thick cloud of dust was spreading out over the Labyrinth from the explosion, and goblins were scattering in every direction imaginable.<em>

_"King! King!" They cried at first, then, as the more curious and stupid ventured to search the still steaming chambers he had last been seen in, "He's dead! The king, he's a DEAD!"_

_ And they were sad, for a very short time. Confused, lost without the subtle guidance of his magic and verbal cues, but with such short attention spans and such large drives for mischief they were quick to recover. The King was dead, and no one could tell them what to do now. This was a GOOD thing! A very good thing! Who needed a King anyway? Not them! Not anybody!_

_ Busy as they were reveling and fighting amongst each other, they didn't notice the rumpled white owl that fled the castle and took to hiding in the deepest parts of the Labyrinth. It wouldn't be safe there for long, not once the wilder creatures got wind of their newly found freedom and took advantage._

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>: Thanks for being patient! I've discovered a strange new habit of brainstorming from the middle and end instead of the point I'm currently trying to write from, haha- oops. Also, gotta be honest, I hate the painful process of trying to get the layout for my fic to stick when I upload it here or at AFF. :( I'm managing, but I'm not happy that I can't even put a paragraph indent or double space anywhere.

Keep being awesome, guys, I'm glad there's a couple people enjoying this!


	3. Chapter 3

Toby lay sideways over his bed, arms crossed and legs swinging over the edge. Even shoeless, the socked soles of his feet made a decent sized _thump, thunk, thump_ every time they came back to hit the wood rim of the bedframe, and he hoped Sarah could hear it down the hall and got mad enough to come tell him to stop. Then he could tell her just how "fair" and stupid this bedtime was on a Friday when all the scary movies were playing on tv. Mommy always let him stay up, Dad didn't care, so why did Sarah get to say he couldn't on account of nightmares? She wasn't the boss'a him!

He sniffed wetly, nose still stuffy from the tears that had failed to move his sister. Stupid Sarah. He wasn't a _bab_y, and he wasn't _tired_. He was angry enough that maybe, just maybe, he'd even be brave enough to use a bad word on her when she came to check on him. Mommy wasn't home, he'd just say Sarah was lying if she told.

Minutes passed, or maybe half an hour, as he glowered at the ceiling and waited.

"I hate you!" He hollared, just in case his thump-thunks weren't loud enough after all and she had forgotten they were still fighting. "I hate you, hate you, hate you, hate you!"

And he hated Mommy, and Dad too, for leaving him to be _baby_sat by Sarah on Friday. Or ever. If had went out too, they would have let him go to Joey's house, or paid Lili to come over, and he could stay up as late as he wanted. His eyes started to water again, lip tucking, as he stewed over the fact that he'd probably already missed the Goosebumps episodes he wanted to see.

He screwed up his face and shrieked, "DAMMIT, DAMMIT, DAMMIT! SHIT!"

Sarah and Hoggle were in the middle of a staredown. She was on the verge of asking just what happened to him in better detail, but not until he stopped making that nasty face at her. He didn't.

Sarah sighed and brought a hand up to her forehead, eyes rolling as she opened her mouth to make brisk amends. She didn't get the chance as Toby's tantrum found it's second wind, his foul little boy voice seeming to fill the whole house at once.

"Shit," She muttered, ignoring the fact that he'd accidentally gotten that potty mouth from _her_ moments of frustration. "Hoggle- just wait a minute. I'll be right back...

"TOBY! Mom isn't here, don't _think_ I won't spank you!"

Toby scrambled off his bed, standing small and proud with his little chest out and fists fisted tight as he waited for Sarah to come. But then he actually heard her bedroom door open, and her footsteps, and panicked. Grabbing up Lancelot for protection, he tucked the bear under his arm and ducked his head through the overhang of his blankets, getting down on all fours and climbing under the bed.

It was inky dark under there, more so than he expected, and he had to brave the immediate fear of monsters. Everyone knew bed monsters didn't come out before _nine_. He shoved what felt like a sock out of the way, and the treasure box he'd made out of a shoebox rattled when he scooted to pull his legs in too and bumped it with his knee.

It got even darker when the blanket fell back into place, blocking the light of his room, and he spooked again. Scuttling on his knees and elbows, he tried to turn so he could face away from the wall and lift the blanket again. Just enough to peek out. But the space seemed too narrow and awkward all of a sudden, claustrophobic. Scary. Something was crowding up against his sides, and moving, and in the span of a few seconds he started to scream as hands grabbed at him. At first, he thought it was Sarah, but Sarah didn't _have_ that many hands.

"What?" A voice wheezed by his ear when he burst into terrified tears. "What now? Speak up-"

"Which way do you want to go?" Another demanded.

Toby hyperventilated, eyes wide but unseeing in the dark and streaming with tears. "Back," He sobbed, wanting to crawl back out and run to his sister. He wanted Sarah, he wanted her now, he wanted Dad and Mommy-

There were more than two voices then, and they were all laughing raucously at his answer. "He said back!"

"Whaaaaat?"

"He wants to go BACK!"

The bed rocked on its legs, the noise dulled by the thickness of the rug, but Toby's hysteria was deafening.

"Toby, You're-" Sarah stopped to click the light switch by the door, frowning when it didn't come on. An old, familiar shiver ran down between her shoulderblades, gone before she could bother to pinpoint the source and replaced by a little stab of guilt. His night light wasn't even on. "Oh, honey, did the light blow out? Hold on."

Brat was probably scared now. She moved into the room, looking for him. "Toby? You can come out, it just needs a new bulb."

He didn't come out. Brows dipping in irritation, Sarah got down on her knees and bent to check under the bed. "To-by?" She sang faintly, straightening and going to check the closet. "If you pop out and scare me, I'll hit you..."

He wasn't there either; not behind the hanging clothes or crouched in the shoe pile. He wasn't behind the thick window curtains, or, less surprisingly, in the big toy box of legos either. Sarah checked every nook and cranny of her brother's room, doing her best to hold onto the safe feeling of annoyance and keep the creeping eerie feeling of Something-Is-Wrong at bay. It was just the dim light that was creeping her out, reminding her of a night that was far in the past now. Blown bulbs always got her like this. "Toby, this isn't funny, I know you're in here!"

He couldn't have snuck past her, the skinny twerp sounded like a miniature elephant when he ran around. She had to be missing something... but then, maybe he did slip by? He'd been pushing the rules lately, and she wouldn't put it past him to try and just sneak downstairs and turn on the tv like he owned the place.

Except he hadn't, and ten minutes later Sarah was frantic from tearing up the house in her search- she'd even gone out into the yard, knowing Toby was too scared of the dark to have gone outside. On the verge of tears, she took the stairs three at a time and ran back to her room. "Hoggle! Hoggle, help me-"

She screached to a halt in front of the door, staring in in disbelief at the mess that met her. Her backback was on the floor, open and spewing it's shredded contents. Her bed was tilted against the wall, the old treasure-chest like trunk that held her more personal trinkets completely turned over, and it looked like someone had taken a bat to her shelves. Stuffed animals and broken porcelain pieces were scattered everywhere.

How did she not _hear_ this happen?

Where was Hoggle?

The vanity's drawers had been pulled out, but it seemed otherwise untouched, and when Sarah finally found her feet again she gravitated that way because of it; dazedly leaning to pick up the old bent curtain rod she had switched out last week and holding it to her chest. Robbers, there had to be, or have been, robbers in the house. She should have called the police immediately. What if they were still here? She might be attacked any second...

But she didn't go running for a phone. Her heart was going a mile a minute with the impossible certainty of what had happened here.

Goblins. Magic. It couldn't be, there was no reason at all for it to be, but she could all but feel the buzz of leftover magic across her skin, as she'd felt it all a long from the moment she called Hoggle and then went to Toby's room. She could smell it. Something had gone very wrong tonight, and the only real question was _why_.

She felt like she was dreaming, but awake, and it was a transition she knew. Her eyes still locked on the mirror, she walked to the vanity and slowly raised a hand to hover over the reflective surface. Here. Her eyes closed, and she felt the trembling current of _something_against her palm. They opened, and she knew what to do.

Taking a step back, she brought up the curtain rod and swung as hard as she could, leaving a wide spiderweb crack through the sturdy mirror. Not good enough. She swung again and again, glass raining over the vanity, and instead of a wood backing or wall, she found the dark tunnel she both had and hadn't expected.

Her breath caught in her chest and she didn't fight the anticipatory shiver that went through her body. Excitement, fear, worry, a nameless thrill... Even if Toby weren't in trouble, how could she turn this down? It would be a lie if she said there wasn't a secret part of her that always wished for something like this.

"Where'd they throw my shoes?" Sarah muttered, breaking the tension. If she was going to do this, she wasn't going to do it barefoot and in her pajamas. Her gym clothes would do for running around and getting sweaty, she found them lumped behind the door, and her sneakers were on opposite sides of the room. She paused in a very brief flash of self consciousness, wondering if maybe she should wear something else in case Jareth- but no. Priorities. This was no time to have a wardrobe crisis.

"I hope," She said, gingerly climbing onto the glass shrewn surface of her vanity and peering into the dark a little more shrewdly this time, "_really_ hope, this doesn't open up into the Bog."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Phew. Between coloring the cover pic I drew for this fic, and figuring out how I wanted to get this chapter rolling, I'm pooped. Picture isn't done yet, but I got most of the naked parts finished first. How very like me.

Still not entirely happy with this chapter, to be honest, but it's the best I can do right now and I don't want to fuss so much that it turns into a chore. Hope you enjoy it anyway!


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